Posted on 01/03/2026 12:32:33 PM PST by algore
Some New York City teachers say it’s high time for a refresher on old-fashioned clocks.
Tiana Millen, an assistant principal at Cardozo High School in Queens, said this year’s ban on smartphones revealed that many teens struggle to read traditional clocks. “That's a major skill that they're not used to at all,” she said.
Overall, Millen said, the phone ban has been a major success at the school, and has helped kids focus in class and socialize at lunch. Foot traffic is moving more swiftly in hallways. Without eyes glued to their phones, more students are getting to class on time. The problem is they don’t know it, she said, “because they don't know how to read the clocks.”
For years, parents and teachers have blamed technology for a range of lapsed skills — from legible handwriting to sustained attention to reading whole books — even as their proficiency with technology far outstrips their elders.
Still, while educators have widely praised New York’s statewide smartphone ban that went into effect this fall, multiple teachers told Gothamist it has also laid bare an unexpected gap: How to tell time.
“The constant refrain is ‘Miss, what time is it?’ said Madi Mornhinweg, who teaches high school English in Manhattan. “It’s a source of frustration because everyone wants to know how many minutes are left in class.
… It finally got to the point where we I started saying ‘Where’s the big hand and where’s the little hand?’”
According to the education department, students learn how to read clocks in first and second grade. "At NYCPS, we recognize how essential it is for our students to tell the time on both analog and digital clocks,” education department spokesperson Isla Gething said.
“As our young people are growing up in an increasingly digital world, no traditional time-reading skills should be left behind.” Officials said kids are taught to master terms including “o’clock,” “half-past” and “quarter-to” in early elementary years.
After dismissal outside Midwood High School in Brooklyn, many students said they do know how to read wall clocks — but they have classmates who can’t.
“They just forgot that skill because they never used it, because they always pulled out their phone,” said Cheyenne Francis, 14.
Yeah. Let's wait for results of independent proctored exams of her students to see what if any benefits can be found.
Would not be surprised if some could not read very well at all.
Speaking of reading. If I were an employer trying to decide between 10 good candidates for a job, I would have them perform a sit-down, written test. No phone, no computer to assist. There would be 10 questions. All of the questions would be in cursive. They would not be required to answer in cursive. Even if the candidate had never been taught cursive, I'd bet there would be a few who could figure it out.
I suppose they’ll eventually have to come up with a new test.
That’s cool. Does that really work?
Not the only thing they can’t read, and that’s just the way the liberals want it.
You could get multiple teachers in New York City to say anything.
Before a recent point in time, NO ONE learned how to read a clock by using a mobile phone.
I bought a big chalk board and taught my granddaughter those things....about 40 years ago...
Something I’ve experienced with young aerospace people is when there’s an assembly being stacked and I say, “we need to rotate clockwise”, I’m met with brief indecision about what to do.
Sit them down in front of a rotary phone. Same thing.
“Where are the buttons?”
Can’t sign their name, only print it like an illiterate.
Can’t tell time, like an illiterate.
Can’t perform basic math, like an illiterate.
But them pronouns be like this
They can’t make change, either.
That’s not 5:50.
“Not the only thing they can’t read, and that’s just the way the liberals want it.”
I figure the liberals are more than OK with kids not having smart phones, too. In emergencies they’re unable to call for help when terrorists invade classrooms. And they can’t make videos of teachers spewing left-wing indoctrination to show to Mom and Dad at home.
> That’s not 5:50. <
I know. I did that on purpose to see if anyone noticed.
Maybe.
😀
HA - the wife screwed that test up! LOL!
Well - they can’t speak, read or write English either so it all fits.....
You do know the time on that clock is not 5:50 - don't you?
Or don't you.......
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